Adjustable coat hanger



J. W. HOPKINS ETAL ADJUSTABLE COAT HANGER NOV. 29, 1947 Filed Patented Aug. 2, 1949 ADJUSTABLE COAT HANG-ER James W- H pkins, nk, and Emme L- Brinl'zjer, Roscoe, Calif;

Application November 29, 1947, Serial No. 788,782,

6 Claims. 1

Our invention relates to an adjustable, coat hanger and more specifically to a. coat hanger which can be expanded or contracted to fit different sizes of suit coats.

The ordinary coat hanger now in commercial use is sold in one or two standard sizes. For a person with very large shoulders the coat will hang over the edges of these coat hangers and droop, causing creases upon the tops of the shoulders.

It is therefore an object of our invention to provide a coat hanger which can be adjusted to expand or contract so as to provide a, correct span to support a large or small garment.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan View.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line l i of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an elevational view showing our invention in its expanded position.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevation showing from the interior one side of our hanger.

Figure 7 is a complementary elevational view of Figure 6 showing the other side from the exterior.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the lin 8-8 of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken on the line 9-4! of Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a sectional View taken on the line Iii-4t of Figure 4.

A hanger constructed in accordance with our invention is formed of two telescoping arcuate support members I and 2. These support members are slidably connected to each other by an interlocking tongue and groove illustrated by the interlocking groove 3 upon the member 2 and interlocking tongue 4 of the member I. The two supporting members and 2 are adapted to freely slide in relation to each other and are held from lateral displacement by the tongue and groove 3 and 4. A portion of the tongue and groove 3 and 4 is cut away at 5 on both members to provide room for racks 6 and I on the supporting members I and 2, respectively.

A gear 8 is positioned between the racks 6 and I and is attached to a bushing 9. The bushing 9 and gear 8 are centrally bored to receive the shaft It of a hook II. The hook II is the usual coat hanger hook adapted to support the entire 2 7 coat hangerupon a clothes rack (not shown). The shaft It is freely rotatable within the gear 8 and bushing Q and has a projection l2 on its lower side to prevent same from being pulled through the bushing 9. r V

A washer 25 is, positioned on top of the bushing 9 and is attached to the top of gear 8 by a press fit to prevent the gear 8 from dropping out from between the racks 6 and 1.

Upon rotation of the bushing 9, the gear 5 drives the racks B and I in opposite directions to expand our hanger. Rotating the bushing 9 in the opposite direction contracts the han er.

Plvotally bolted at the ends of the supporting members I and 2 at it and is, respectively, are cross supports I5 and It, respectively. The cross supports I5 and it each carry collars l? and I8 which are attached to the cross supports l5 and [6, respectively, by the bolts I9 and 2%. The collars I1 and I8 encompass both cross supports I5 and I6 and form a telescopic connection between these two cross support so that when the supporting members I and 2 are expanded or contracted the length of the cross supports formed by the two cross supports I5 and it may expand or contract.

While we have set forth the preferred embodiments of our invention, we do not wish to be limited to any of the details of construction herein set forth except as described in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In an adjustable hanger, a pair of complementary arouate supporting members slidably attached to each other by an interlocking tongue and groove carried by said members, a rack on each of said members, a gear supported between said racks adapted to rotate and drive said racks in opposite direction and thus alter the size of the are formed by said members.

2. In an adjustable hanger, a pair of complementary arcuate supporting members slidably attached to each other by an interlocking tongue and groove carried by said members, a rack on each of said members, a gear supported between said racks adapted to rotate and drive said racks in opposite direction and thus alter the size of the are formed by said members, a hook member carried by said gear to attach said hanger to a clothes pole.

3. In an adjustable hanger, a pair of comple mentary arcuate supportin members slidably attached to each other by an interlocking tongue and groove carried by said members, a rack on each of said members, a gear supported between 3 said racks adapted to rotate and drive said racks in opposite direction and thus alter the size of the are formed by said members, a bushing attached to said gear to provide a means to rotate said gear.

4. In an adjustable hanger, a pair of complementary arcuate supporting members slidably attached to each other by an interlocking tongue and groove carried by said members, a rack on each of said members, a gear supported between said racks adapted to rotate and drive said racks in opposite direction and thus alter the size of the are formed by said members, cross supports pivotally carried at opposite ends respectively of said member and connected to each other b te1escoping means.

5. In an adjustable hanger, a pair of complementary arcuate supporting members slidably attached to each other by an interlocking tongue and groove carried by said members, a rack on each of said members, a gear supported between said racks adapted to rotate and drive said racks in opposite direction and thus alter the size of the arc formed by said members, cross supports pivotally carried at opposite ends respectively of said 2:

members and connected to each other by tele- 4 scoping means, a hook member carried by said gear to attach said hanger to a clothes pole.

6. In an adjustable hanger, a pair of complementary arcuate supporting members slidably attached to each other by an interlocking tongue and groove carried by said members, a rack on each of said members, a gear supported between said racks adapted to rotate and drive said racks in opposite direction and thus alter the size of the are formed by said members, cross supports pivotally carried at opposite ends respectively of said member and connected to each other by telescoping means, a hook member carried by said gear to attach said hanger to a clothes pole, a bushing attached to said gear to provide a means to rotate said gear.

JAMES W. HOPKINS. EMME'IT L. BRINKER.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany July 27, 1915 Number 

